PRESENT SCENARIO OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT – SOME ISSUES

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PRESENT SCENARIO OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT – SOME ISSUES

Journal Title: International Journal of Research in Social Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 4

Abstract

Fortunately, women studies are gaining more and more importance and their efforts and contribution for the development of the family and nation are drawing attention in recognition to their efforts, ability and efficiency in recent times. Therefore, women are no longer confined to the four walls of home. The sheer economic need and the gradual spread of education were responsible for the change. Reddy opined that ―although women constitute 50 per cent of India‘s population, perform two-thirds of the work and produce 50 per cent of the food commodities consumed by the country, they earn onlyone third of the remuneration and 10 per cent of the property or wealth of the country‖ 1 Gender pay gap in India refers to the difference in earnings between women and men in the paid employment and labor market2. For the year 2013, the gender pay gap in India was estimated to be 24.81 per cent3. A report by the World Economic Forum highlights that in the corporate sector in India, a woman is paid only one-third of what a man in the same position is paid4. Further, while analyzing the level of female participation in the economy, this report slots India as one of the bottom 10 countries on its list. Thus, in addition to unequal pay, there is also unequal representation, because while women constitute almost half the Indian population (about 48 per cent of the total), their representation in the work force amounts to only about one-fourth of the total5. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan pointed out that women are equal partners with men in private and public spheres of life and decision-making. Women must have a say in decision-making and to shape their lives. The year 1975 was declared as International Women‘s year by the UNO. It was a landmark in the process of empowering women globally6. In 1979, the convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women was adopted at the United Nations. Even though the Indian Constitution granted equal status for women, our culture had discriminated women on the basis of gender. Empowerment of women is important in a developing country like India why because the benefits will not only felt by the women themselves, but also by their households and in turn their nation. Therefore, the Government of India realizing the need of empowerment of women and announced a National Policy on Empowerment of women in 1996 and declared ‗the year 2001 as the year of Women Empowerment‘. Therefore, in the present paper an attempt is made to explain the concepts of ‗Empowerment‘ and ‗Women Empowerment‘, by considering different dimensions and also approaches to attain women empowerment. In order to measure the status of women and improvement attained after adopting women oriented measures in the country this study observed the changes taken place in select indicators of women empowerment in 15 major States in general and Andhra Pradesh in Particular.

Authors and Affiliations

Dr. B. Lilly Grace Eunice And Mr. C. Bala Kotaiah

Keywords

Present Scenario Women Empowerment

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EP ID EP19917
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